Page 150 of Stay With Me

At ten weeks, the baby is the size of a kumquat, which is one inch in diameter.

Yeah, I had to look that one up too because what the hell is a kumquat?

Magnolia

No, I think I’m good. But I’m gonna stop at the store quickly for a bag of Goldfish crackers so you can pick me up from there.

Tripp

I just bought four bags when I went shopping this morning so I’ll bring one with me.

Magnolia

You did? The Flavor Blast kind?

Tripp

Yep. I saw your cheese fingerprints on the cupboards and then saw you were getting low so I grabbed more.

My cheeks heat at how he notices such small things but still takes the time to buy more for me. He knows they’re my go-to snack because I can keep them down easily and although it’s not the healthiest, it satisfies my cravings in the middle of the night when I need something cheesy and crunchy.

Magnolia

Well, thank you. I’ll wait at the coffee trailer, then.

This isn’t the first time he’s restocked my snacks for me either. After I moved in, we went to the grocery store, and I stocked up on my favorite Greek yogurts. Sadly for me, certain yogurt flavors made me sick, so I’ve been sticking to the one that agrees with me. When he noticed I was out of the banana cream, he went out of his way to get more, but the store was out of stock. So instead of skipping it, he drove fifty miles to another store and bought me three cases so I wouldn’t run out.

Unfortunately, now banana cream makes me nauseous, probably because I ate it three times a day for three weeks. I felt horrible telling him, but he just shrugged and said no biggie, he’d eat some and share the rest with his brothers. They were more than happy to take them off our hands.

As I sit and wait on the curb, I admire the town’s holiday decorations flooding Main Street. All the small businesses are covered in red, green, and white. I added some garland outside the coffee trailer, and once I launched my new holiday drinks, it finally felt like Christmas. It’s been a weird month, but I’m excited to spend Christmas Eve with my parents tomorrow and go to the Hollises on Christmas Day.

“Hey, why aren’t you inside the trailer where it’s warm?” Tripp asks, jumping out of his truck after he parks.

“Because I already locked it up and you were on your way,” I argue, taking his hand when he offers to help me up.

“You’re gonna get sick out here,” he scolds, wrapping his palms around my cold fingers and blowing warm air on them. “C’mon, let’s go. Truck is toasty warm for ya.”

The weather has cooled down to the fifties, but he’s acting like we’re in negative temps. I’m already bundled up as much as I can tolerate, but I don’t fight him on it.

“Are you nervous?” he asks as he pulls back onto the street.

“A little, I guess. This’ll make everything feel morereal,but it’ll be interesting to see how it looks on the screen, ya know?”

“It’ll be cool to see. Like a little minnow swimmin’ in your belly.”

My mouth falls open and he laughs at my reaction. “Don’t call my baby a fish!”

“I looked it up on YouTube for ten to twelve-week ultrasounds, and that’s legit what it looks like!” He squishes his lips together and makes a fish face. “It can be their nickname: Baby Fishy.”

I glare at him, and he smirks. “Not onboard?”

“Well, it’s better than your Baby Kumquatty idea.”

“Only until next week when it’s the size of a peapod. Then we’ll call it Petey. Get it?”

Tilting my head, I study him. “Did you memorize the baby size chart or somethin’?”

“I have a pregnancy app on my phone so I can keep track.”